Judge Threatens Jail Time For Parents, Community Service For Students In Putnam County

In an effort to stop truancy in Putnam County schools, General Sessions Judge Steven Randolph has posted a video to social media with a stern message for both students and parents. Judge Randolph says he will be cracking down on every unexcused absence over the five-day limit and students may be required to do seven hours of community service at the county recycling center on Friday nights. Judge Randolph will also hold parents accountable and warns they could be incarcerated for up to 10 days at a time.  Judge Randolph says a history of truancy leads to teen drug use, teen pregnancy, delinquency and low self-esteem and those issues persist into adulthood with higher rates of incarceration.